X-Men director Bryan Singer denies sexual assault allegations ahead of upcoming exposé

Director Bryan Singer appears to be worried that an upcoming exposé could destroy his career.

Singer said on Instagram Monday that Esquire is preparing to publish a "negative" article about him that will "attempt to rehash false accusations and bogus lawsuits." Last December, Cesar Sanchez-Guzman brought a lawsuit against the X-Men director, claiming Singer raped him when he was 17. Previously, a civil suit was brought against Singer in 2014 accusing him of raping an underage boy, Michael Egan, in 1999. That suit was later withdrawn. Also in 2014, Singer was accused of sexually assaulting an anonymous man when he was 16. This case was later dropped. Additionally, in 1997, the parents of a 14-year-old boy alleged in a lawsuit that Singer filmed their son naked for a shower scene without permission. This suit was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Singer has denied all allegations against him.

Singer said in his Instagram post that Esquire is "attempting to tarnish a career I've spent 25 years to build," also saying that in "today's climate," careers "are being harmed by mere accusations." The director knows about the article, he says, because his friends and colleagues have been contacted about it. He also says the article will quote sources who have "intimate" knowledge of his personal life.

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Even as the #MeToo movement has swept through Hollywood over the last year, Singer has not been brought down like other men accused of misconduct. He's the credited director of the new Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, although 20th Century Fox fired him from the project and had Dexter Fletcher complete the film; this was reportedly due to unprofessional behavior, including frequently being missing from the set, per Variety. Singer was also just hired to direct a new comic book movie last month, per The Hollywood Reporter.